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A young French-Swiss gentleman living in the North wishes to exchange lessons with lady or gentleman in conversational French for English. Could teach also photography. Write Louis Borloz, 62 Sidney rd., Hornsey, London, N.

Correspondence wanted on languages, philosophy, etc., with foreigners preferably. Also shall exchange Lake District or other local cards for cards in monotone of architectural subjects. William Lyon, 6 Wetheral st., Carlisle.

Advertiser wishes to meet phonographer for mutual improvement; or assist learner for reading practice. C. Thompson,* 37 Vicarage st., Stockton.

Pictorial post card correspondence invited, longhand. H. Langwood, II Mount-Preston, Leeds.

Pictorial post card correspondence invited, longhand. Harold Harvey, 11 Mount-Preston, Leeds.

Pictorial post card correspondence desired, shorthand or longhand; good views and studies in cats preferred. Miss Nancy Mayer, 8 Heath st., Newcastle, Staffs.

Pictorial post card correspondence invited, coloured preferred. W. John Eddy, c/o J. Walker Tyacke, esq, solicitor, Helston, Cornwall, England. Correspondence desired in pictorial post cards. Hinchliffe, St John's avenue, Scarboro,

[41] Pictorial post cards exchanged, British or foreign. Miss Netta C. Reid, 16 Forbes rd., Edinburgh.

Pictorial post card correspondence desired. French. Replies to all. Home or abroad. A. Payne, 17 Middleboro rd., Coventry.

Pictorial post cards exchanged; Longhand. Replies to all. Edith E. Williams, 1 Lower Grove rd., Chesterfield.

Pictorial post cards. Correspondence desired in English, French, German, or shorthand, from all parts. Replies guaranteed to all. Views preferred. A. Pidwell, 12 Peak Hill avenue, Sydenham, London, S.E. S. Frith, 77 St John's rd., Bootle, Lancs., desires to exchange pictorial post cards, longhand or shorthand, 40

Pictorial post cards. Exchange desired in all kinds with residents in all parts of the world, shorthand and longhand. Tuck's £1,000 competition post cards are preferred from readers residing in the United Kingdom. Prompt replies to all. Address, Ernest E. Empett, 64 Charter st., Chatham, England. 43]

Pictorial post cards exchanged. H. Evans, 166 Portland st., Southport. Phonographer desires to exchange pictorial post cards, all countries. C. S. Alder, 209 Evering rd., Upper Clapton, London, N.E.

Pictorial post card correspondence desired. All parts. Replies same day. Frank Lewis, 148 Shearer rd., Portsmouth.

Pictorial post cards exchanged; views or stage preferred; immediate replies, shorthand or longhand. Leslie Thomas, 39 Haven Green, Ealing, London. [42] Am willing to exchange pictorial Tasmanian post cards for pictorial post cards from other countries. Replies, longhand. Address, Eric N. North, Elphin rd., Launceston, Tasmania. [41]

Associations. 1d. per line of ten words.

Phonetic Shorthand Writers' Association (London District I.P.S.), The Arcadian Restaurant, 8 Queen st., Cheapside.-The principal Shorthand Association in the kingdom. Meetings held every Thursday evening from 7 to 10. Regular speed practice conducted at various rates by experienced phonographers. Lectures by well-known shorthand writers; discussions, etc. Speed examinations held periodically. Centre for Society of Arts shorthand examination and for Pitman's medal competitions. (Members sit at these examinations and at the I.P.S. Teachers' Exam. at reduced fees.) Shorthand library and other advantages. Fees, including speed practice, 10s 6d per annum, or 38 per quarter. All phonographers (ladies or gentlemen) are eligible for membership. Prospectus, with full particulars, on application to Secretary, H. J. Cork, 2 Reedholm road, Stoke Newington, London, N. [44] Typists' Section, I.P.S. (the N.U. of Typists is incorporated with this Section). Examinations for teachers and typists, lectures, demonstrations, discussions, employment bureau, advice on typewriting matters, etc. Annual subscription, 5s; members of I.P.S., 38 6d. Rules, Examination Syllabus, Forms of Application, etc., from the Hon. Sec., Geo. Colebourn, F.I.P.S., 151 Second ave., Manor Park, Essex. Examinations periodically. Copies of last papers (March and July), Is per set. [44] Newcastle-on-Tyne. Tyneside Phonographers' Association (federated), Church Institute, Hood street. Meets every Friday evening for speed practice (from 40 words a minute), etc. For full particulars apply to Geo. W. Muir, Hon. Secretary, 27 Redheugh Bridge rd., Gateshead. [43]

Evercirculators and Libraries. 1d. per line of ten words.

An evercirculator is a manuscript phonographic magazine, consisting of articles written by the individual members, one member acting as conductor. The book passes round, and each round members contribute an article and remarks, or take part in the discussion. A leaflet containing further particulars forwarded from the Phonetic Institute, Bath, on receipt of id stamp.

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Evercirculator paper in three varieties, of superior quality, five quires Is 6d; headings and title-pages, 3d per doz. ; covers, cloth is, leather is 6d. Samples for id. Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd. [x] The Rev. J. Thomas, of 15 Morton crescent, Exmouth, undertakes the careful review of evercirculators free of all charge except cost of return postage. [40] Wanted for the Psychologic Review Evercirculator, phonographers interested in Spiritualism and kindred phenomena. Articles, discussions, etc. Reporting Style. Wm. J. Millar, 48 Rodney st., Edinburgh. Wanted, members to join a Christian Evercirculator (shorthand). No charge will be made for entrance fee. For particulars apply to Henry Saville, Norwich st., Lake Side, Hunslet, Leeds.

Few members wanted to complete list; particulars free. Address, James Moores, jun.. 129 Cleggs lane, Little Hulton, near Bolton.

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Will phonographers abroad who are interested in evercirculator work write a post card to Thos. W. Padmore, 126 Albert rd., Sheffield. Starting shortly, new Evercirculator, devoted to musical elements and news. Small subscription. Particulars G. S. Cope, M.I.P.S., 111 Stroud Green rd., London, N. [40]

To Engineering Students and others.-The Albion Library circulates the leading mechanical and electrical papers; weekly and monthly sections. Stamp for particulars. Thos. W. Padmore, 126 Albert rd., Sheffield. [41]

The Gordon Shorthand Library circulates all the shorthand magazines. Subscription, 6d per month, is 3d per quarter. A month's trial solicited. Conductor, A. T. Bean, 1 Victoria rd., Stoke Newington, London, N. The best Library is the Telegraph, established ten years, circulating all the magazines, including Australian magazine; quarterly subscription, Is 3d; always vacancies, particulars stamp. Conductor, J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London. [43]

The 20th Century Commercial Library, over 160 books available for the use of members. Shorthand, typewriting, French, German, Spanish, and commercial books, together with copies of all English and foreign shorthand magazines. Subscription one penny per week. Splendid opportunity of studying large selections of works at a small cost. Full particulars for stamp. J. H. Simmons. 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London. $.E. [43] Those wishing to improve their speed in shorthand should join the Kelvingrove Shorthand Circulating Library. Circulating all the best magazines, Australian, etc., only is. 3d. quarterly. All particulars, David Cook,* 157 Kent rd., Glasgow, W. [50] Second-hand Books, Shorthand or Phonetic, for Sale, or Exchange, or Wanted, 1d. per line of ten words; Miscellaneous Books, 3d. per line. Wanted, copies of Parody's Spanish Phonography, and the following vols, of the Phonetic Journal-1871, 1872, and 1886; Pitman's Shorthand Weekly, vols. 3, 4, 6, and 7. Address, Isaac Pitman and Sons, 31 Union square, New York, U.S.A.

For sale, 75 Fhonetic Journals from April, 1902, to date, also vols, 21, 22 and 23 Pitman's Shorthand Weekly, unbound, 4s 6d the lot. P. Miller, High st., Rickmansworth.

For sale, the Phonographic Correspondent for 1847, Book of Psalms, dated 1864, Reporter's Companion and Phrase Book combined, dated 1869; also the Phonographic Reporter for 1862 and 1865, edited by Thomas Allen Reed. All well bound, old, but in good condition. State offers to Stenographer, 9 High st., Goldenhill, Stafts.

Wanted, Phono Novelettes no. 1, entitled Phantom Stockman, written by A. C. Munro-Peebles. 6d for a clean copy. Apply W. Tydeman, 59 Hopton rd., Streatham, London, S. W.

Reading practice for the forthcoming examinations, etc. 6s worth shorthand magazines in new condition, all different, post-free is 6d, sent any part of the world for money order for 2s; splendid and unequalled value. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S.E. [49] For sale, copies of Oliver McEwan's Verbatim Reporting, post-free Is Id. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S.E. [49] Advertiser, stamp collector, will be pleased to send parcel of different shorthand magazines to any phonographer, any part of the world, sending him used stamps, different values. Ordinary letter stamps not required. J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S.E. [43]

Do you require shorthand books or magazines? Write to J. H. Simmons, 2 Rokeby rd., Brockley, London, S E., with penny stamp for full list. Thousands of books and magazines for sale. [49] Wanted, 20th Century Instructor and Key, Typewriter Manual, Shorthand in the Office, latest editions. E. Donoghue, Allerton Tower, Woolton, Liverpool.

For sale, Reporters' Magazine from Jan., 1895, to Dec., 1902, inclusive, in good condition; unbound, but every 12 nos. are enclosed in strong cloth-covered leather board case; first reasonable offer accepted. Newboult, 23 Hector st., Slade lane, Manchester.

What offers? Phonetic Journals, bound, vols. 35. 37. 38, 39, also vol. I of the Journalist. E. Hunt, 124 Hanover buildings, Tooley st., London. For sale, 20 Phonetic Journals, 1903, 20 Pitman's Shorthand Weekly, 1900, 2s. Apply G. M., 504 West Green rd., London, N.

Three vols. Phonetic Journal, 1887-8-9, bound, and in excellent condition; no reasonable offer refused. Harry Shaw, Chesterton, Staffs. Bundle of shorthand reading practice worth 5s, also Manual, Reporter, and Legal Phrase Book. Quite new. 5s the lot. F. C. Thornton, Calverley, near Leeds. For sale, Pitman's Phonetic Journal, for 1901. T. H. Francis, 37 Cumberland st., Carlisle.

Bargains, post-free, Reporter, cloth, is 7d; Reporter, is 1d; Manual, 8d; Teacher, 3d; Key to Reporting Exercises, 6d; Æsop's Fables, 3d. Albert Palliser, 36 Columbus Ravine, Scarborough.

What offers? Exercises and Manual (1849), one volume, roan, gilt edges. Albert Palliser, 36 Columbus Ravine, Scarborough.

For sale, 36 Phonetic Journals, clean. What cash offers? J. D. Williamson, Kirkland, Cockermouth, Cumberland.

TO SHORTHAND LEARNERS.-Students commencing the study of Pitman's Shorthand are recommended to obtain the "Phonographic Teacher," 6d.; "Key," 6d. ; and "Progressive Studies," 19.; or "Pitman's Shorthand Instructor," 38. 6d. These Books can be obtained of all Booksellers, or from the Publishers. Students desiring a teacher may be put in communication with one on sending a penny stamp to Sir Isaac Pitman & Sons, Ltd., Phonetic Institute, Bath.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES.-This Journal may be ordered through any Bookseller, Newsagent, or Railway Bookstall, or by post direct from the Publishers. The terms to all parts of the world are Is. 8d. per quarter; 3s. 3d. per half year; or 6s. 6d. per year, payable in advance. Subscriptions may commence with any number. Monthly parts, 5d., post-free 7d.; terms of subscription same as above.

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for existence that Huxley foresaw. The school, the university, the laboratory, and the workshop, said the President of the great gathering of men of science, are the battlefields of the new warfare. We have to face new conditions, and we have to adapt ourselves to those new conditions. The chief weapon with which we can meet the difficulties that confront us is brain-power. As a nation we are certainly by no means so lacking in this requisite as some of our alarmist critics would have us believe. But that there was ample room for the homily delivered by Sir Norman Lockyer at Southport, there can be no question. If in our national concerns we are multiplying soldiers and ships, but not at the same time increasing our national brain-power, nothing can prevent us from falling behind in the struggle.

We need brain-power everywhere, in every calling, and in every branch of every calling. It is needed by the chieftains of commerce, and by the rank and file that serve them. The demand for efficiency, of which this generation has heard so much, means a demand for brain-power. It is that power that has placed in our hands the many marvellous inventions that are ready to aid us in our work; but without the continued exercise of the same brain-power that originated them

we shall fail to reap from them more than a fraction of the benefits that they are able to yield. Brain-power involves two things-knowledge and capacity. We are multiplying on every hand the opportunities for acquir. ing knowledge of every kind. And it must be said that there is no lack of pupils. But what proportion does the amount of knowledge actually acquired bear to the amount of teaching? Take the subject of shorthand, for example. When we find from the last report of the I.P.S. Examining Board that candidates for that Society's teacher's diploma write k unvocalized in the first position to represent the word cow, ƒ half-length to represent food, make no distinction in outline between burdened and broadened, or between nutritive and innutritive, and deliberately write of horses "caressing a bridge," when the shorthand character before them is one that could not possibly be written for "caressing " by anybody who had mastered the system, and the context shows clearly that "crossing" must be the word intended, one can hardly congratulate these would-be teachers on the attainment of even elementary knowledge. Real knowledge, anything that is worth calling by that name, is accurate, precise, and complete. The knowledge that could produce such blunders has none of these characteristics. It is worse than useless: it is mischievous. It can only lead its possessors to disaster if they attempt to rely upon it.

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But along with real knowledge there must go mental capacity. The power to think, the habit of thinking, a readiness to recognise the newness of fresh conditions, fresh circumstances, and to perceive rapidly what it is that those conditions call for, is indispensable. It is as indispensable to the shorthand clerk and the typist as to the mercantile magnate whose transactions run into millions. The typist who finds herself called upon for the first time in her life to reproduce from rough manuscript an architect's specification, will reveal by the manner in which she performs her novel task whether she possesses that mental readiness, alertness, and thoughtfulness which constitute the active expression of brain-power, or whether she is deficient in that power. Of the shorthand amanuensis entrusted with work involving phraseology and arrangement different from that of his normal every-day occupation, the same thing can be said. Our employments are perpetual tests of brain-power; and too often the test establishes a deficiency. We want more of the best kind of teachers those who understand not only how to impart the knowledge that they possess, but how to make their pupils think. When these are forthcoming more extensively, the nation's latent brain power will be better developed.

The Scottish Waterproof Company has invented and patented a " fingerette" for the purpose of turning over the leaves of books and newspaper files without wetting the fingers and soiling the leaves.

A joint competition for Pitman's silver-gilt, silver, and bronze medals will be held by the Newcastle and District S.W.A. and the Tyneside Phonographers' Association on Saturday, 31st Oct., at 7.15 p.m., at the Y.M.C.A., Blackett street. Any phonographers desiring to compete are requested to communicate with Mr W. H. Blades, at the Y.M.C.A. Mr J. Griffiths, A.C.P., F.Inc. S. T., lecturer on book-keeping Merchant Venturers' Technical College, and teacher of shorthand, typewriting, and book-keeping to Colston's Girls' School of the City of Bristol, has been appointed lecturer on banking, economics, and mercantile, law to the classes preparing for the Institute of Bankers' examination at the Merchant Venturers' Technical College during the coming session.

The first two weekly parts, price 1d. each, are now ready of a new serial issue of "Pitman's Abridged Shorthand Dictionary" (Twentieth Century Edition). From its handy size this work has attained to a great popularity with phonographers, and large numbers will, without doubt, avail themselves of the present convenient method of issue. The work has been revised throughout, and in addition to a very useful vocabulary includes complete alphabetical lists of grammalogues and contracted words.

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The Bucks Standard (Newport Pagnell) recently contained a spirited appeal to the Bucks County Council relative to the desirability of its encouraging the teaching of Phonography, now that the classes have been taken over, which were established partly by private enterprise with the aid of the Wolverton Science and Art Institute. The Standard pertinently asks: Is it an encouragement to a student to expect him to pay a fee of half-a-crown in order to sit for examination? Or, again, is it likely to enhance his spirit of enterprise when, having sat for examination, and by hard work, perseverance, and merit obtained a qualified certificate, he is expected to pay another half-a-crown in order to get personal possession of that certificate? And these payments have to be made, we understand, in addition to the fees he is called upon to pay for attending the classes!" Evidently the regulations require re-consideration on comparison with those of other educational authorities.

Two new serial features commence in the present issue of the Journal, which are of special interest to shorthand teachers and students. In our shorthand pages we begin "Graduated Reading Exercises in Pitman's Shorthand, for the Use of Classes and Private Students. Adapted to the 'Instructor' and the Manual."" Their design, as the title implies, is to provide graduated practice in shorthand reading in the Corresponding Style, to be taken up as the learner successfully masters the lessons. No longhand key will be given, so that the weekly instalments will furnish the best possible test of the acquirements of students. We also begin a series of Dictation Exercises" in ordinary print, for students engaged in mastering the Reporting Style, which will, we believe, prove of general usefulness as supplementary to, while varied in method of treatment from those appearing in the instruction books. The two new series of Exercises will appear only in this Journal, and will be continued from week to week until next Spring.

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Mr Peter Machin, F.I.P.S., has in conjunction with Mr Charles F. Harper, F.I.P.S., Mr C. H. Jeaffreson, M.A. (Oxon), and Mr H. Mawer Thomas started a new Commercial College at 26 Colquitt street, Liverpool; the College adjoins the Royal Institution in that city. Provision is made for complete courses of instruction in shorthand, typewriting, business methods, book-keeping, and accountancy, commercial French, German, Spanish, and Italian, and every preparation for University and all professional preliminary examinations. Special attention will be paid to the higher branches of the various subjects. Six class-rooms are available, and a library of upwards of 500 volumes connected with the subjects of tuition is placed at the disposal of pupils.

TYPEWRITING NOTES.

The Liverpool Chamber of Commerce recently gave an article appreciative of the Yost typewriter.

The latest number of the Oliver Magazine, published monthly under the auspices of the Oliver Typewriter Co., Ltd., 75 Queen Victoria street, London, E.C., contains much attractive descriptive and humorous reading of general interest to a wider circle than the members of the Club. The "Sketches on the Side Drum" series is continued with "Our 'Trombone,' illustrated. The interests of typists receive attention, and "Some Hints for Stencil Cutting are extremely practical and helpful.

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It is a very curious thing that typewriters are used to a very limited extent in newspaper offices in this country. Is it a case of "Wake up, John Bull!" again? In America practically every piece of "copy" that goes to the compositor is typewritten. Hardly 25 per cent. is typewritten in this country. A writer to the Sheffield Independent confirms this statement in a letter which appeared recently: "The other day I had occasion to inquire as to the extent to which typewriting machines have come into use in one of the leading newspaper offices of London. I found that, while there were a few machines in the commercial department, there was but one in the literary department, and this was used by the amenuensis of the editor almost solely for the typewriting of business letters, and not for strictly literary purposes. I mentioned this to a London representative of a New York paper, who expressed considerable surprise at my statement, though he playfully added that it was just like the sluggish conservatism of you English.' He says that in the literary departments of New York papers-both the editorial and reportorial-typewriters are all but universal. The proprietors provide the machines as a matter of course, just as they provide the chairs and tables, and the ability to manipulate them is quite a necessary journalistic qualification. It is found that 'copy' is so much easier for the sub-editors, compositors, and proof correctors to read when it is typewritten, and the expense of the machines is saved through the increased facility for doing the work in the office."

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All of this seems self-obvious. It is precisely in the journalistic world that we should expect to find typewriters most readily adopted. In newspaperdom uniformity and legibility of copy are matters of the first importance. The cost of the machine is not a point worth considering, if the time of editors, sub-editors, compositors, and proof readers is saved thereby. The only explanation is, we suppose, that the newspapers have got into the rut, and are difficult to move. There is one notable exception to the general rule of the absence of typewriters in newspaper offices. The Daily Mail, which is always too wide-awake to need waking up, provides typewriters for the use of its literary staff, and encourages contributors to send in typewritten matter. Some day we shall find that the use of the writing machine in every department of newspaper work enormously reduces friction, and then we shall wonder how on earth we did without it in the meantime. All of this means that we are far too slow to appreciate the advantages of improved methods.

The writer in the Sheffield Independent goes on to allude to another curious point: "My friend also informed me that most clergymen in the United States nowadays typewrite their sermons for delivery-if they are not extemporaneous preachers-it being so much easier to read in the pulpit from clear typewritten matter, where an adequate space is left between each line, than it is to read from ordinary manuscript. The sermons, bear in mind, are not hand written first, and typewritten afterwards. Whether a man's ideas flow as freely and his choice of words is as easy when he is manipulating the key-board of a typewriter as when he is using a pen is entirely a matter of habit."

In this country very few clergymen type their sermons' We doubt if there are half a dozen who actually use the typewriter themselves for such work. There have been a few who always preach from typewritten MS., though they have generally used an amanuensis to do the typewriting. Particulars from readers who know of instances of ministers or clergymen who type their own sermons will interest us.

It is stated that the typewriter is once again being brought into requisition in connection with spiritualistic séances. We take the following from the Liverpool Courier: "The typewriting wraith is, according to the story, a 'materialization' by W. W. Aber, a professional medium of Spring Hill, Texas, who has been conducting a series of sensational séances in his native village recently. During these séances, so the story goes, the spirit plies the typewriter keys at a marvellous rate, and turns off page after page of manuscript in a fashion that would give the spring poet a fit of envious rage. The object of all this rapid work by the ghosts is to produce some books, entitled Rending the Veil,' which presumably disclose everything concerning the other world. It is stated that the spirits come right out into the light in the Aber séances, take a pencil and pad of paper, if they merely want to make notes, or otherwise sit at the machine and turn out 'copy' at a rate to make one's head swim."

CIVIL SERVICE NOTES.

BY A CIVIL Servant.

There are announced, or proceeding, Civil Service Examinations for no fewer than 580 vacancies distributed as follows: 150 vacancies for Second Division Clerks (age 17 to 20) on 13th ult., 20 vacancies for Male Sorters (age 18 to 21) on 30th Sept., 35 vacancies for Female Sorters (age 15 to 18) on the 27th ult., 300 vacancies for Boy Clerks (age 15 to 17) on the 10th Nov., and 75 vacancies for Assistants of Excise on 5th Nov. Candidates for the three last named-it is too late to enter for the others-should apply at once for the necessary form to the Civil Service Commission, Burlington Gardens, London; and as the aggregate number of candidates for these 580 appointments will be about 3,000, the necessity for hard work and reliable teaching will be obvious.

DUNDEE SCHOOL OF SHORTHAND.

The Annual "At Home" of the Dundee School of Shorthand took place on 11th September, in Wood's Rooms, Commercial street. There was a large attendance of past and present pupils. The Rev. W. A. Dunbar (chairman of the Dundee School Board) presided, and was supported by the Rev. J. George, Mr D. Macdonald, Mr J. G. Lawson, and Mr A. W. Paton, Principal of the School. Mr Dunbar said that one was impressed with the remarkable strides that had been made in recent years in respect of the educational opportunities young people had. He could remember when a lad, even in a large town, had to go a very long distance in order to be taught special subjects. Now matters had taken quite a different shape, and an institution such as was conducted by Mr Paton was certainly not an experiment. Mr Paton had been at the work for a number of years, and he had carried it on from year to year with growing success, and that this school met a felt need in the city was surely proved by the very large numbers that thronged the classes, and by the distinguished successes which the students achieved. Mr Paton's classes were certainly to be recognised as an educational agency. When one looked through the well arranged prospectus he must come to the conclusion that not only by the variety of the subjects, but by the fact that these were well chosen, the work done there was of a distinctly educational kind. Mr A. W. Paton also spoke. He referred to the fact that the institution had been in existence for the past six years, and during that time they had had over 600

students, who had gained over 600 certificates, and these had filled about 400 positions. The students were scattered over all parts of the globe, and, as showing the good feeling which existed between teacher and scholar, he pointed out that they were receiving letters from students in Calcutta, Manila, the Cape, New York, and other far away places. In connection with the past session Mr Paton stated that 182 students had attended the classes, and they were in the happy condition of having no qualified graduates waiting for appointments. They had earned last year over 100 certificates, some of which were of exceptionally high merit. The prizes were then presented to the successful students by the Chairman, and a musical program followed.

MANCHESTER EVENING SCHOOLS.

The City of Manchester Education Committee has issued a Directory of Evening Continuation Schools and Classes conducted under the provisions of the Education Act, 1902, which for the splendid testimony it bears to municipal resources and power of effective organization for the promotion of higher education is, in several respects, unique. The co-ordination of the educational resources of the city for the provision of evening instruction will unquestionably prove highly beneficial in the utilization to the best advantage, under municipal direction, of every kind of educational machinery in the interests of increased efficiency. The handbook issued by the Committee with a general introduction over the signature of Mr J. H. Reynolds, M.Sc., the Director of Higher Education, is a model of complete and wellarranged information relative to the work done under the auspices of the Committee in six departments of educational effort, namely evening continuation schools, evening science and art schools, evening commercial schools, evening institutes for women and girls, manual instruction classes, and special classes. Space forbids a detailed notice, but attention must be specially directed to the remarkably comprehensive curriculum of the Central Commercial Evening School, of which Mr Alfred Nixon, F.C.A., F.C.S., is the Principal. Probably in no single school building in the United Kingdom is instruction imparted in so many subjects-comprising the entire range of the lower and higher departments of commercial education-as at the well-known institution in Deansgate. The subjects of instruction and lecture courses are grouped under thirty-six headings, ranging from handwriting and correspondence, arithmetic and book-keeping, shorthand and typewriting, to banking and currency, and company and mercantile law. A very interesting feature of this portion of the Directory consists of the schemes of work which have been planned to assist students in selecting that course of study most suitable for their individual requirements. We have first the preparatory course, intended for those who have had no systematic training since leaving the day schools; then there is the general commercial course for clerks and shop assistants; following these are courses for women clerks; shorthand clerks and typists; book-keepers; correspondents, shipping clerks, travellers and agents; secretaries and clerks with joint stock companies; bankers' clerks; accountants' clerks; accountants' articled clerks; clerks in municipal and public offices; managers and principals; and lastly Civil Service candidates. While the Central School deals so comprehensively with commercial education, there are the large number of sixty-nine other night schools under municipal direction, which are suited to the special requirements of senior and junior students, students of either sex, and students in particular positions in life. An accompanying map shows that these schools and classes are within easy reach of the inhabitants resident in any part of the city of Manchester. Our notice of this department of the educational work of the city, though necessarily brief and incomplete, is sufficient to show that Manchester merits the high praise awarded to it by Sir William Anson, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Education, on the occasion of his recent distribution of prizes in the Town Hall.

a couple of Bibles as reading books, what grew into the

SOME EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND Polytechnic was practically started."

THEIR WORK.

THE REGENT STREET POLYTECHNIC.

In all the great popular movements for the betterment of the people which had their birth in the pregnant years of the Nineteenth century, few things are more romantic than the sense of contrast presented between the germ and the apotheosis, the small beginnings and far-reaching results, of a great educational institution such as the Regent Street Polytechnic. Away back in the sixties a couple of London street arabs, huddled beneath an archway on the Thames Embankment, receiving instruction by the light of a tallow candle from a zealous youth fresh from the playing fields of Eton, ready to escape from "school" at the first glimpse of a policeman; to-day a great institution, the foster home of thousands of young men and women eager for increasing their efficiency for the battle of life, while others foregather in these summer days in its great entrance hall, waiting their turn to arrange for visits to distant lands, made easily accessible by the vast organization which centres in the now familiar name of the "Poly." and its Tourist Association. Looking at these two pictures, on this and on that, you may see truly

How far that little candle throws his beams!

So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

Of that small but romantic beginning of a great educational enterprise, the late Mr Quintin Hogg, its founder, whose sudden death at his post at the Polytechnic in January last was so widely lamented, has left behind a graphic little picture. The father of Quintin Hogg was a business man in the City, Chairman of the East India Company, and young Quintin Hogg went straight from Eton into City life with a zeal for mission work strong upon him.

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But while engaged in their lesson the policeman's lantern appeared at the far end of the arch, the boys bolted, upsetting the beer bottle candlestick, "doucing the glim" (putting out the light), and leaving the perplexed teacher in the dark to face the inquisitive policeman. It was not a very promising beginning, but the young instructor persevered. Buying a shoeblack's outfit, he went about with the boys into the New Cut and other slums, and of these experiences he says"My real object, of course, was to learn how the boys lived, what they fed on, what it cost them to live, and how they could be best reached." This he learned most effectually, a room for a ragged school was hired at 12 a year, near the Strand, and this son of a wealthy man who was living in Carlton Gardens (in the house now occupied by Mr Arthur Balfour, Prime Minister), went out from his well-appointed home and taught and influenced the boys for good.

The boys who came to learn began to present a very altered character from the first, when "five of the boys came absolutely naked except for their mother's shawl

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pinned round them"; the premises were increased, a master became necessary, the school was removed into Castle street, a dormitory was added to the school, and Mr Quintin Hogg and the master took turns in sleeping in charge of the boys. In 1867 such a number of respectable young fellows' presented themselves, that the name "ragged school" was for these a misnomer. The boys were consulted, and an Institute was formed and carried on in Hanover street, and afterwards in Long Acre. The Institute "throve amazingly," more ambitious classes were started, and the Institute was brought into connection with the Science and Art Department. Mr Robert Mitchell, who has been since, and is still so honourably associated with the Polytechnic as Educational Director, had been for some time Hon. Sec. of the Institute, and agreed to give up his entire time to the place, and," says Mr Quintin Hogg," he took the office which he still holds and which he has fulfilled with such immense ability and self-devotion. Our other helper at this time was the late Mr W. T. Paton, whose genial and kindly influence is still gratefully remembered by numbers of our boys." The Institute was now in Long Acre, where the work was carried on for many years, and, as will be seen presently, included the teaching of shorthand under the present head of the Business Training Department, Mr J. S. Horton. To cut an extremely interesting story short, we give this striking paragraph from the founder's narrative, which has reference to the removal from Long Acre into Regent street, and the acquiring of the present buildings, well-known in the sixties and seventies as the "Royal Polytechnic Institution," presided over by Professor Pepper and devoted to popular science.

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THE REGENT STREET POLYTECHNIC.

"My first experience of religious work of any kind was holding a Bible Class at Eton, which was attended by about half the boys in the house. I left Eton at the end of 1863, and in the beginning of 1864 tried my apprentice hand at London boys.

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There was a place off Bedford Bury called Pipemaker's Alley, inhabited almost entirely by Irish immigrants, where I remember, on one occasion, finding in all the houses in the court only two bedsteads, the rest of the people were sleeping on bundles of rags, old brandy cases and the like being used as seats, and two or three old cases serving the purpose of a table. I had never been brought into contact with real poverty and want before, and felt almost as if I should go mad unless I did something to try and help some of the wretched little chaps I used to find running about the streets. My first effort was to get a couple of crossing sweepers, whom I picked up near Trafalgar square, and offered to teach them to read. In those days the Thames Embankment did not exist, and the Adelphi arches were open both to the tide and the street. With an empty beer bottle for a candlestick, and a tallow candle for illumination, two crossing sweepers as pupils, your humble servant as teacher, and

"At the end of 1881 the Polytechnic came into the market. It struck me that this was exactly what we wanted, and, after consulting Mr Paton and Mr Mitchell, I bought the place from the Trustees. Mr Mitchell threw himself heart and soul into the preparation of our first syllabus, and on

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